Ruby Aikens was trapped in her car in floodwaters for about 20 minutes.

As frightening as her ordeal was, her first thought after making it to safety was making it to work to care for an elderly woman she's built a special relationship with.

The only sign of Ruby Aikens’ terrifying trip to work is the pink slippers she borrowed to replace her soaked sneakers.

"I was afraid, yes I was,” she said, “but I prayed a lot and asked God to keep me and keep his angels around me."

Those angels came in the form of Kansas City firefighters who literally wrapped their arms around her.

KCTV5 News called 911 when we saw her car get stuck and watched anxiously as the rescue began. The water had risen beyond her knees.

"It was pretty close because as soon as they pulled her out of the car, her car started to float away,” said Brian Kelso with Heaven Sent Home Care.

Kelso owns the small home health business Ruby works for and watched the rescue in amazement and with gratitude.

Aikens said she was shaken as rescuers pulled her to safety, but her first request was for a ride to work and to the ailing woman she cares for.

"I was just wanting to be here for her because I told her I would be back when she woke up in the morning,” Aikens said.

A police officer obliged and brought her to Park Meadows Senior Living where Aikens’ sole responsibility is a 95-year-old woman. Over a full year together, they have built a relationship.

"She just likes to hold hands and we do that and we just do a lot of little things like singing and doing some prayers all the time,” she said.

After 20 minutes of not knowing if she would make it out alive, she says it never crossed her mind to skip work to recover. Her boss said he was ready to find a fill-in, but was hardly surprised by Aikens’ response.

"This is typical Ruby,” Kelso said. “She always puts others' needs ahead of herself. Most people would have been traumatized.”

Ruby's car was totaled. She said her daughter will be able to get her to and from work for now.

Her boss said he's offered, too, and that they are grateful for all who got her out alive.

The stepmother of a missing Wichita boy has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, our CBS affiliate KWCH is reporting. Lucas Hernandez, 5, has been missing since last Saturday. Emily Glass, 26, was booked into prison shortly before 3:30 p.m. Police say the child endangerment charges are related to new information in the case. The search for Hernandez remains on-going, according to police. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Emergen...More >

The stepmother of a missing Wichita boy has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, our CBS affiliate KWCH is reporting. Lucas Hernandez, 5, has been missing since last Saturday. Emily Glass, 26, was booked into prison shortly before 3:30 p.m. Police say the child endangerment charges are related to new information in the case. The search for Hernandez remains on-going, according to police. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Emergen...More >

The government in the state of Kansas will be closed at midnight through late Thursday afternoon due to a winter storm forecast. Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer ordered all of the state's agencies to close beginning at midnight until 5 p.m. on Thursday. Additional closings. Copyright 2018 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.

The government in the state of Kansas will be closed at midnight through late Thursday afternoon due to a winter storm forecast. Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer ordered all of the state's agencies to close beginning at midnight until 5 p.m. on Thursday. Additional closings. Copyright 2018 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.